My sophomore year at Ohio State seems like it has gone by in the blink of an eye. This year has been the busiest one yet and has been full of positives (and, as with any year, some negatives). Both my second and third semester course schedules have been mainly filled with public health courses, which I have enjoyed– as I finally realized where my academic interests lay. Following winter break, I officially applied for the public health major with a specialization in sociology in the College of Public Health and was accepted. I am now on track to graduate early with a B.S. in Public Health and hope to continue on to receive a Master’s. Following a tough freshman year, I made the Dean’s List during the autumn semester and hope to make it back at the culmination of spring semester.

This year, I began working at the front desk in my Residence Hall and have truly enjoyed this experience. Due to moving from Smith-Steeb to a new building with completely different faces (and due to my job as at the front desk), I have been able to meet new people and make long-lasting friendships.

Although I am officially a public health student, I am still unsure about my future career. However, my interest has piqued in issues of public/health policy. Due to my interest in international affairs and my membership in the International Affairs Scholars cohort, I hope to work with health policy at the global level.

I am excited for my courses next year and hope they will guide me in choosing a career path upon graduation.

My freshman year at Ohio State has been filled with its fair share of ups and downs. Coming from out-of-state, I was very excited to start the year off with plenty of fresh faces and a new environment. But, I was also extremely worried about my nonexistent major and career plan. At the start of my first semester, I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to study and I felt like I would not be able to decide for a long time. On a college campus, the first thing people ask when you meet them is “what is your major?” (cliché but true). This put a lot of pressure on my decision-making progress, as it seemed like everyone had his or her life together. However, because of one professor and her impact on me, I have finally progressed in selecting a major.

This semester (2^nd), I enrolled in an ‘Introduction to Global Public Health’ class. From the beginning, I knew I would love the class. I had heard endless positive comments about the professor, Dr. Acton, and could not wait to learn from her and her experiences. Being in her class was a privilege and I can confidently say that it has been my favorite class in college thus far. It is because of this class and Dr. Acton that I have decided to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Public Health.

I am very excited for my next semester at Ohio State and interested to see what my second year as an International Affairs scholar will bring. I hope to become involved in student organizations relating to my major, such as Buckeyes for Public Health and Global Health Initiative. Additionally, I plan on applying for a public health centered study abroad program in Japan.